PHIL MICKELSON LEADS BY ONE AT LOCH LOMOND
Phil Mickelson is on course for the perfect pre-Open pick-me-up.
Having injured his left wrist practising for last month's US Open and missing the halfway cut both at Oakmont and at Congressional last week, Mickelson leads the Barclays Scottish Open by one stroke from world number 320 Gregory Havret with 18 holes to go at Loch Lomond on Sunday..
If the American goes on to lift the trophy and the £500,000 first prize that goes with it Mickelson will be able to head to Carnoustie having achieved his first solo victory in Europe since he was a rookie professional back in 1993.
"That would mean a lot to me, as it would to win in Scotland, the home of golf," said the 37-year-old American.
The European tournament he won was the Tournoi Perrier event at the EuroDisney resort near Paris, not even a full European Tour event, but the Scottish Open is definitely not Mickey Mouse. Six more of the world's top 20 have been taking part this week.
Not one of them is among Mickelson's nearest challengers after he shot a third round 68 in windy conditions to move onto the 12 under par total of 201.
In third place is England's Steve Webster, whose world ranking has slumped to 469th since he won the Italian Open two years ago. Coincidentally, Havret's solitary victory was also in Italy six years ago.
The pair in joint fourth are hardly superstars either. South African Louis Oosthuizen, who shot 64 after surviving the cut with nothing to spare, is ranked 129th and England's Phillip Archer 173rd.
Highlight of the day for Mickelson undoubtedly came on the 518-yard third hole. Mickelson, poised to go back into the world No. 2 spot behind Tiger Woods when the weekly rankings are issued on Monday, resumed one behind France's Gregory Havret and Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara. That gap looked set to grow when Phil hit his approach into the edge of the pond right of the green.
But on arriving at the spot Mickelson saw a chance to splash the ball out, so put his waterproofs on and without any undue delay - he did not fancy the idea of sinking without trace - swung and was delighted to see the ball finish within 10 feet of the flag. Holing the putt for a birdie 4 was purely a bonus, but it helped set the tone for the remainder of the round.
Mickelson, fit and well and in this kind of mood, is a might impressive player.
But he's not the kind of guy to ask: "Who's gonna be second?"
It certainly will not be either of the two Scots who survived the halfway cut - Paul Lawrie or David Drysdale. They went backwards in the third round, metaphorically if not literally. Paul had a 74 and David a 75 to be 12 and 13 shots adrift to the leader.
THE BARCLAYS SCOTTISH OPEN
Loch Lomond Golf Club.
Players from GB&I unless stated.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71).
201 Phil Mickelson (US) 65 68 68.
202 Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 64 70.
204 Steve Webster 68 67 69.
205 Phillip Archer 68 68 69, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 70 71 64
206 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 66 70 70, Ernie Els (Rsa) 69 66 71, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 67 65 74
207 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 71 65 71, Ross Fisher 69 69 69, Ian Poulter 69 67 71, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 72 67 68, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 67 68 72
208 Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 67 69, Graeme McDowell 70 71 67, Shaun Micheel (USA) 67 71 70, Boo Weekley (USA) 68 66 74, Miles Tunnicliff 68 67 73, Oliver Fisher 70 71 67
209 Soren Hansen (Den) 65 73 71, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 69 70 70, Simon Khan 67 67 75, Graeme Storm 65 72 72, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 72 68 69, Luke Donald 70 69 70, Lee Westwood 65 74 70, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 69 68, Ian Garbutt 71 69 69
210 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 69 68 73, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 72 67 71, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 68 71 71, Richard Finch 68 70 72, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 67 74 69, Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 67 73, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 71 69 70
211 Garry Houston 69 71 71, Andrew Marshall 70 71 70, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 72 68 71, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 71 70 70, Mark Foster 66 74 71
212 Phillip Price 71 67 74, Kyron Sullivan 70 69 73, Darren Clarke 71 67 74, Peter Lawrie 68 73 71, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 69 70 73, Paul Broadhurst 71 70 71, Lee Slattery 69 71 72, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 69 70 73, Ariel Canete (Arg) 68 68 76, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 70 67 75, Paul McGinley 68 70 74, Bradley Dredge 68 72 72
213 Sam Walker 67 69 77, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 72 69 72, Paul Lawrie 68 71 74
214 David Drysdale 70 69 75, Yong-eun Yang (Kor) 73 68 73, Andres Romero (Arg) 67 67 80, Matthew Millar (Aus) 72 69 73, James Hepworth 71 70 73, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 71 68 75
215 Peter O'Malley (Aus) 70 70 75
216 Oliver Wilson 74 67 75, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 69 72 75
218 Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 72 68 78, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 70 70 78
Phil Mickelson is on course for the perfect pre-Open pick-me-up.
Having injured his left wrist practising for last month's US Open and missing the halfway cut both at Oakmont and at Congressional last week, Mickelson leads the Barclays Scottish Open by one stroke from world number 320 Gregory Havret with 18 holes to go at Loch Lomond on Sunday..
If the American goes on to lift the trophy and the £500,000 first prize that goes with it Mickelson will be able to head to Carnoustie having achieved his first solo victory in Europe since he was a rookie professional back in 1993.
"That would mean a lot to me, as it would to win in Scotland, the home of golf," said the 37-year-old American.
The European tournament he won was the Tournoi Perrier event at the EuroDisney resort near Paris, not even a full European Tour event, but the Scottish Open is definitely not Mickey Mouse. Six more of the world's top 20 have been taking part this week.
Not one of them is among Mickelson's nearest challengers after he shot a third round 68 in windy conditions to move onto the 12 under par total of 201.
In third place is England's Steve Webster, whose world ranking has slumped to 469th since he won the Italian Open two years ago. Coincidentally, Havret's solitary victory was also in Italy six years ago.
The pair in joint fourth are hardly superstars either. South African Louis Oosthuizen, who shot 64 after surviving the cut with nothing to spare, is ranked 129th and England's Phillip Archer 173rd.
Highlight of the day for Mickelson undoubtedly came on the 518-yard third hole. Mickelson, poised to go back into the world No. 2 spot behind Tiger Woods when the weekly rankings are issued on Monday, resumed one behind France's Gregory Havret and Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara. That gap looked set to grow when Phil hit his approach into the edge of the pond right of the green.
But on arriving at the spot Mickelson saw a chance to splash the ball out, so put his waterproofs on and without any undue delay - he did not fancy the idea of sinking without trace - swung and was delighted to see the ball finish within 10 feet of the flag. Holing the putt for a birdie 4 was purely a bonus, but it helped set the tone for the remainder of the round.
Mickelson, fit and well and in this kind of mood, is a might impressive player.
But he's not the kind of guy to ask: "Who's gonna be second?"
It certainly will not be either of the two Scots who survived the halfway cut - Paul Lawrie or David Drysdale. They went backwards in the third round, metaphorically if not literally. Paul had a 74 and David a 75 to be 12 and 13 shots adrift to the leader.
THE BARCLAYS SCOTTISH OPEN
Loch Lomond Golf Club.
Players from GB&I unless stated.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71).
201 Phil Mickelson (US) 65 68 68.
202 Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 64 70.
204 Steve Webster 68 67 69.
205 Phillip Archer 68 68 69, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 70 71 64
206 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 66 70 70, Ernie Els (Rsa) 69 66 71, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 67 65 74
207 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 71 65 71, Ross Fisher 69 69 69, Ian Poulter 69 67 71, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 72 67 68, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 67 68 72
208 Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 67 69, Graeme McDowell 70 71 67, Shaun Micheel (USA) 67 71 70, Boo Weekley (USA) 68 66 74, Miles Tunnicliff 68 67 73, Oliver Fisher 70 71 67
209 Soren Hansen (Den) 65 73 71, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 69 70 70, Simon Khan 67 67 75, Graeme Storm 65 72 72, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 72 68 69, Luke Donald 70 69 70, Lee Westwood 65 74 70, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 69 68, Ian Garbutt 71 69 69
210 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 69 68 73, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 72 67 71, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 68 71 71, Richard Finch 68 70 72, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 67 74 69, Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 67 73, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 71 69 70
211 Garry Houston 69 71 71, Andrew Marshall 70 71 70, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 72 68 71, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 71 70 70, Mark Foster 66 74 71
212 Phillip Price 71 67 74, Kyron Sullivan 70 69 73, Darren Clarke 71 67 74, Peter Lawrie 68 73 71, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 69 70 73, Paul Broadhurst 71 70 71, Lee Slattery 69 71 72, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 69 70 73, Ariel Canete (Arg) 68 68 76, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 70 67 75, Paul McGinley 68 70 74, Bradley Dredge 68 72 72
213 Sam Walker 67 69 77, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 72 69 72, Paul Lawrie 68 71 74
214 David Drysdale 70 69 75, Yong-eun Yang (Kor) 73 68 73, Andres Romero (Arg) 67 67 80, Matthew Millar (Aus) 72 69 73, James Hepworth 71 70 73, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 71 68 75
215 Peter O'Malley (Aus) 70 70 75
216 Oliver Wilson 74 67 75, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 69 72 75
218 Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 72 68 78, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 70 70 78
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, July 14, 2007
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home